A Mississippi pastor is suggesting that churches need to do something about the increasing number of men and women, including Christian couples, who are cohabitating and producing children out of wedlock.

Joseph Parker and his wife, Birdie, are co-pastors of African-Methodist-Episcopal (AME) churches in Marks and Clarksdale, Mississippi. While he does not dispute the statistic that 72 percent of black children are born to unwed mothers, he does think the report gives all the wrong reasons, such as poverty, lack of education, and not being able to meet the right man for marriage. Parker points out the fact that studies do not focus on moral aspects.

"For this issue, but really with every issue, God's Word has accurate wisdom and counsel to help you know. In other words, God's way is the best way to do anything," the pastor decides. "That's just the way it is. And so when it comes to marrying...

Wow! what a novel idea, especially for whites who listen to tele-evangelists, so this pastor may have a novel idea to many, white, brown, read, yellow, or black churches, but it isn't a novel idea to God!

Romans 132 and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.3 And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?---NASB

"But the tragedy, says Parker, is that today's society often cuts God out of the picture, leaving people to come up with their own answers which do not work."

True words, reminiscent of Romans 1:18ff, but there is more to this than meets the human eye. Society itself is not a Christian group, what with reprobates, atheists, false religion and all make up the nation; - society then becomes a large group with a small Remnant of God's people. Which is the way it always has been.

"21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called"